Fulton Board of Commissioners to hold hearing on removal of Housing Authority members

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners will hold a special hearing on July 29 on whether to remove members of the Housing Authority from their positions.

“The Housing Authority of Fulton County Board of Commissioners are aware of the serious allegations regarding former day-to-day staff misconduct, compliance reporting delays, and possible misappropriation of funds within the organization,” the Housing Authority said in a statement earlier this month.

The housing authority website has a pop-up notice posted on July 19 that it is not closing. It lists members as Chair Antavius Weems, Vice Chair Lamar White, Barbara Duffy, and Earnestine Pittman, along with general counsel P. Andrew Patterson.

WSB-TV reported that only two members remain, including Weems, with other board members having resigned.

Ron Shakir was removed from the housing authority on Jan. 10 after complaints of sexual harassment and unprofessionalism.

Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr.’s request to dissolve the Housing Authority was taken off the agenda after the vote to remove Shakir. His resolution included complaints made by eight authority members, staff, and attorneys on Nov. 15, 2023.

Those complaints included allegations that Shakir sexually harassed staff, disrupted meetings, and was aggressive and unprofessional at a conference.

External auditors were chosen to assist with a “comprehensive and independent investigation,” the authority said in its statement. It said action had been taken to work closely with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to hire an experienced executive director, address gaps, and add measures for the staff-to-board reporting structure.

“The Housing Authority of Fulton County Board of Commissioners asks for your patience and understanding as they navigate this difficult situation of being blindsided by the very staff responsible for upholding the guiding principles and operations of its agency,” the Housing Authority said in its statement.

The hearing is being held under Georgia State Code 8-3-53 , which deals with the removal of commissioners, which states that “For inefficiency or neglect of duty or misconduct in office, a commissioner of an authority may be removed” by the commission after being given a copy of the charges at least 10 days before the hearing.

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